Evening & Weekend Blazer

Every well dressed man should have a few items that really make him stand out in a crowd...

Most men's wardrobes consist of suits and other more formal clothing for work and more casual clothing for weekends. The very well prepared also have some clothing for black tie affairs. Then on weekends and evenings when he needs to dress nice, the outfit will consist of a mix between the work items and weekend items. Most of the time, this is acceptable and actually encouraged. As a well rounded wardrobe should allow for such versatility.

But what happens when a man wants to stand out from the crowd? Wear something daring, with style and character. The evenings and weekends a man is allowed and often expected to show off his peacock feathers. This of course does not mean he should wear embroided and studded jacket with "Attitude" or "Dangerous" across the back. Any man with an Affliction or Ed Hardy jacket needs to stop reading this blog... I'll wait for you.

So how does a man appropriately strut his personal style without looking like a douchebag or a baffoon, or worse? He invests in a few stand out jackets.

Take this Tallia blazer for example. This is sold at Macys for $275, is classically designed but has bold colors, a modern slim fit and is not commonly seen adorned. Wear it with a crisp white shirt, raw denim jeans and a pair of well polished black boots and every woman in the room will notice you, and not because your jacket declares you as "Badass".
 
A few other options that will make heads turn, in a good way:
 

Indochino Metallic Suits - $369 full suit - Comes in either Midnight Blue or Silver
 

J.Crew Velvet Jacket - $275 - Slim "Ludlow" fit
 

Plaid Jacket - Top photo: Ashton Kutcher in charcoal plaid (a similar jacket sold at Express for around $100).  Bottom photo: John Varvatos light gray plaid
 

Express Satin Shawl Collar Blazer - $148 - Shawl Collar jackets are a great look.  Vintage, modern and fresh all at the same time.  Get one for nights out, you will not regret it.
 

Velvet Satin Trimmed Jacket by 2am - This jacket is available at Nordstroms for around $275.  I am cautious with satin trimmed jackets, they are becoming "fashionable" and not in a good way.  I like the look on this jacket, but if your are fearful of looking too fashionable, stay away from this jacket and opt for something less "in".

Fall Essentials - Denim Jacket

Fall Jeans Jacket by DandyFashioner featuring GAP

One of the great styles for fall is a Denim Jacket. It is a very simple and universal style, that looks great when dressed up. I like the look with a gray shirt and gray tie (gray is perfect for fall) and paired with big boots and a cool belt.

When buying a denim jacket, buy a it a size smaller than you would normally. You want it to have a snug fit. Try the dark blue Levi Trucker jacket that I have above. Wear it with jeans (of a different wash) or with chinos. Dress it up with a tie or dress it down with a t-shirt. Buy a clean dark wash, so that you can keep it versatile. If it is destroyed wash, then you won't be able to wear it with a tie on a Friday to work.

It can also look great with a white button down and a sweater of your favorite color. Throw it over for a casual, but trendy look for a date. It can be worn also any time you would normally wear a casual blazer.